This Week in Houston Food Events: New Year's Eve

Tuesday, December 29

New Year's Appetizers Cooking Class

This cooking class at Central Market, 3815 Westheimer, will not only teach you how to make perfect appetizers for New Year's Eve, but you'll actually take home full portions of each one that you make in the class. The menu includes mini goat cheese and fig tarts, roasted shrimp and crab dip with comte cheese. The class begins at 6:30 p.m. and costs $75 per person. Make reservations on the Central Market website.

Wednesday, December 30

International Bacon Day

Take this day to celebrate your favorite cured meat by enjoying a bacon-laden burger, a bacon-wrapped steak or any other bacon-covered food you can find. If you want to have your bacon and drink it, too, head over to the lounge at the Four Seasons, 1300 Lamar, to try Pancho Porker Punch, which is made with bacon-infused Don Pachno 8-Year Rum, vanilla vodka and whole milk, then garnished with a thick slice of candied bacon.

Couples' Cooking Class

Nothing says romance like making perfect filet mignon and bananas Foster together, and Central Market at 3815 Westheimer wants you to do just that. This class, which takes place both Wednesday and Thursday of this week, will teach you how to create a perfect date-night meal of the aforementioned dishes, as well as grilled lobster tails, potato gratin dauphinois and roasted brussels sprouts with bacon. This class kicks off at 6:30 p.m. and costs $180 per person. You can reserve your spot for either class on the Central Market website.

Thursday, December 31

New Year's Wine Tasting

Waited until the last minute to think about champagne? Never fear, because French Country Wines is here or, at 2433 Bartlett, rather. From noon to 3 p.m., the store will be offering a free wine tasting, including sparkling wines, to help you pick the perfect bubbly (or non-bubbly) to ring in the new year with. Even better, there'll be a sale to clear room for next year's wines, so you might get rewarded for waiting until the last minute after all.

New Year's Eve

Houston restaurants celebrate this holiday with fervor, and this year is no exception. Arnaldo Richards' Picos, 3601 Kirby, is hosting an entire New Year's Eve Carnaval with a four-course dinner, champagne toast, live entertainment, dance floor and more.  Weights + Measures, 2808 Caroline, will celebrate its first New Year's Eve with a four-course meal featuring lobster ravioli and wood-grilled, long bone lamb chops, as well as specialty cocktails from Judith Piotrowski of Love + Squalor, the bar inside Weights + Measures. There will also be dancing, plus caviar service for $150. For all of our New Year's Eve recommendations, check out our guide to dining out in Houston on this spectacular evening.

Friday, January 1

New Year's Resolutions

Be on the lookout for special prices on healthy dishes at your favorite restaurants to help you get those resolutions off to a successful start. For example, you can get a turtle soup and chargrilled Caesar salad combo for just $15 all month long at Big Eyed Fish, 908 Henderson, and Genesis Steakhouse and Wine Bar, 5427 Bissonnet, will have a different soup and salad combo for $8 each week, such as chicken minestrone with roasted pear salad or steak and vegetable soup with Asian salad.

Saturday, January 2

A Night Up In Flames

At this Central Market cooking class, you'll learn how to flambé all kinds of things, like cheese, seafood, steaks and desserts. The instructors will also help you brush up on sautéing and making pan sauces. You'll put those skills to good use on lobster Lisa in brandy cream sauce, steak Diane with cognac sauce and crepes Suzette. Don't hesitate to make your reservations on the Central Market website for $65 per person. The class begins at 6:30 p.m., and remember, nothing says New Year's like lighting things on fire.